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Exclusive Interview : Jada Pinkett-Smith Jada Pinkett-Smith has come a long way since we first chatted 14 years ago when she was virtually an unknown starring in the little film "Jason's Lyric". Now a big star in a high profile marriage, Pinkett-Smith is a mother, an actress, a high-powered producer and recently made her feature directorial debut. Fans will hear her voice in the new "Madagascar" sequel in which she reprises her role as the loveable Gloria, as the quartet of friends crash-land in Africa while trying to return to New York's Central Park Zoo. The actress and activist talked exclusively to Paul Fischer. Question: When you agreed to do the first Madagascar - do you do movies like this for your kids, or for the child within you? Smith: I do it for my kids, but if I was a bit more aware, I probably would do it for the child within me. I don't know if I'm that aware. [LAUGHTER] I probably need to do something like this for the child within me. Question: Why is that? Smith: Well, I mean, it's always nice to explore the child within, and to let it come out once in a while. Question: So when they came up to you with this and said, "We'd like you to play a hippo," were you originally insulted by that? Smith: No! Not at all! Absolutely not. She's like a cute, adorable character. Question: What do you bring within yourself, to voice a character like this? Smith: Just fun, and confidence, and love. I think that she's a character that really loves her friends, and she's just - Gloria is a lot of fun. Question: Do you think that she's grown and evolved over the two movies? Smith: I guess! You know, I mean, she finds love, and she's able to identify, recognize love, but I think Gloria has always been a pretty smart cookie. I just think you see more of - you see a different side of her in this particular film. Question: Can you relate to her at all? Smith: Absolutely, yeah. Question: What aspect of her do you identify with the most? Smith: Just her loyalty, and her love for her friends. Question: You're obviously a very loyal person yourself. Smith: Yes. Question: Where does that come from? Smith: I think just growing up how I grew up. You basically had - you know, your group of friends that were down for you, and you were down for them. And it was literally part of your survival. So it's like - that's just a code, you know? In the parts that I grew up. It's like, once you say you're down for somebody, that's it. Question: The first time I spoke to you, which was a long time ago now, and obviously you were young and single, and you had the whole world in front of you. How surprised are you at the position that you've attained over the years? Smith: I'm not really surprised at the position that I've attained professionally, because I've always kind of seen that for myself. I'm pretty much surprised at the position I've attained, just with the fact that I have a husband and a family. I never, ever saw myself married? Question: Why is that? I mean, you're a good-looking girl. Smith: I never wanted to be married. I never thought that there was a man worthy enough to lock me down in that way. And I never thought I would find him. I didn't think that was ever in my sights. [LAUGHTER] I just knew. I mean, you know, before Will came along, I had two other marriage proposals, and they were guys who were really good men. You know? And I was like, "That's it. I'm just not meant to do this. Because I don't think it gets any better than what I've got in front of me. And I can't make - I just - this isn't gonna work." You know? And then Will came along, and everything changed. He was worthy enough for me to go, "This is a guy I could spend the rest of my life with." Question: Was it love at first sight? Smith: Absolutely not. [LAUGHTER] No way. No, it wasn't love at first sight at all. I had actually known him for several years. Question: How has it been trying to balance this extraordinary personal life you have, and this marriage, with a career that's obviously still extremely important to you? Smith: You know, it's happiness. It's basically just maintaining a very nourished spiritual life, and maintaining happiness, and that being a priority. I feel like that motivates and creates energy to do it all and that every aspect of my life is a huge priority to me, and I don't want to compromise in any area. So I just have to work extra hard to just make it work. I wish I had the formula, but the formula just is. I'm not willing to compromise. I want to have a great marriage. I want to have a great family. And I want to have a great career. I believe you can have it all, if you're willing to work for it. I think most people that's a big task. Question: Now, you obviously are so not busy that you had time to write and direct a movie. What's going on with The Human Contract? Smith: The Human Contract is - we're actually doing film festivals at this particular point in time. I'm going to the Chicago Film Festival on Monday, and I'm invited to the Denver Film Festival. we'll be doing film festivals overseas. Actually, we just got invited to another film festival in Germany and Spain. So we're doing the film festival circuit right now. Question: Will you go to Sundance, do you think? Smith: You know what? We'll see. I'm not sure. I don't think so. Question: It sounds like a great idea. It sounds like a really great idea for a movie. Smith: Well, you know, it's a subject matter that I've always been very interested in. The idea that secrets destroy you and, I know that firsthand. So that's basically what it's about. A man who has a secret, and he meets this really beautiful woman who reveals his secret and it becomes this very tumultuous relationship with him trying to deal with it- you know, being revealed. I found it to be a very interesting - and so, you know, I call it an erotic drama. http://www.moviehole.net/200816508-exclusi...a-pinkett-smith

Will Smith on 'Good Morning Texas': http://www.wfaa.com/video/featured-index.h...01&noad=yes

Video: Will Smith meets fans outside American Airlines Center in Dallas 01:39 PM CST on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 Smith will walk the red carpet at 6 p.m. tonight for a Dallas premiere of his new movie to support North Texas Food Bank. Video: Fans meet Will Smith: http://www.dallasnews.com/video/index.html?nvid=304750

Picture with a fan:

More videos! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_uINWIc_sg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCOVTnWdV1Q

Another video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LoJbgJxRrI

VIDEO! Actor Will Smith is in town for a charity event/premiere of his new film. The red carpet gala for "Seven Pounds" is getting underway at the Shops at Sunset Place in South Miami. http://www.truveo.com/Seven-Pounds-Premier...i/id/2811730621

Pics! http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.a...mp;src=standard http://wireimage.com/SearchResults.aspx?ig...ld=C&vwmd=e http://www.filmmagic.com/ItemListing.aspx?...373&evntI=0

Will Smith and his Seven Pounds co-star Rosario Dawson stopped by The Herald's newsroom this afternoon to talk about the film. Normally, I would have interviewed them at some fancy hotel (usually this one), but a studio publicist told me Will didn't want to be cooped up all day and preferred to come to us, instead of the other way around. I chatted with both of them about Seven Pounds for a story that will run next month. I also briefly asked Smith about that Oldboy remake he and Steven Spielberg are reportedly preparing. Here's what Smith had to say: Q: So is this Oldboy remake really happening? Because I can't quite picture you playing that character, considering how the movie ends and where the story goes. A: We're working from the original source material. That element you're talking about - what's in the movie - is actually a deviation from the original source material. That was their artistic choice, and it worked for that market, but it was actually a deviation. We haven't even started getting into it yet, though. On his way out of the newsroom, Smith graciously agreed to make a surprise appearance at the editors' news meeting and say a boisterous hello to a slightly startled Herald Executive Editor Anders Gyllenhaal, pictured below. http://miamiherald.typepad.com/reeling/200...smith-visi.html

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainm...normous-fi.html

'Seven Pounds' bus:

'Hancock' DVD (Sony) Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/hancock/

Another interview! http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/314158/top-...html?id=1598344

Madagascar 2: David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith Interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezK0ifyKjbU

'The Women': Meet the Stars Cool video: http://www.joost.com/264e8ni/t/THE-WOMEN-M...TARS#id=264e8ni

Will Smith on Good Morning Texas WFAA-TV's Victory Plaza studio will turn into a celebrity fishbowl on Tuesday morning when Will Smith stops by to visit Good Morning Texas and promote his new film, Seven Pounds. While Channel 8 viewers are by now familiar with on-camera spectacle of post-game crowds milling about the studio during the ABC (and, of course, Belo-owned) affiliate's 10 pm newscast. But this Tuesday morning will offer the rare opportunity for some completely justified screaming-in-public when the man known as Mr. Fourth of July/the $25 million dollar Man and/or the Biggest Movie Star in the World gets his up-close-and-personal groove on in Victory Park. The show begins at 9 am, so figure out what the ideal arrival time is and be part of the throng. http://tvblog.guidelive.com/archives/2008/...orning-tex.html

Katie Holmes: Jada Pinkett Smith 'Inspires Me' Katie Holmes knows a thing or two about juggling a movie career, motherhood, and marriage to a superstar. So who does she consider a role model? "Jada is so strong," Holmes tells PEOPLE of her friend Jada Pinkett Smith, 37. "She is a rare woman – a phenomenal friend, mother, wife. She inspires me." Adds her husband, Tom Cruise: "Jada tells it like it is. She creates art in her life ... She's effortless. She just has such class." Pinkett Smith, who once described Holmes, 29, as a tigress who "runs the show" at home, says the two families are close because they "have a real understanding. In what we do and where we are, there aren't many people you meet who are living on a parallel line ... who can understand the pressures." Cruise, 46, also admires the way Pinkett Smith attends to her busy career (she’s currently the voice of Gloria the hippo in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, in which her daughter Willow, 8, plays the junior version of the sassy pachyderm) and still makes her husband of nearly 11 years, Will Smith, 40, and their children her No. 1 priority. "She is an extraordinary woman and an amazing mother," he says. "She's constantly wanting to improve herself and her family." Agrees Holmes: "She's just a powerhouse." http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20...ss-topheadlines

Article from Variety: Seven Pounds Smith, Muccino reteam for mysterious drama Columbia Pictures Release date: Dec. 19 "Seven Pounds" reunites Will Smith with the filmmaking team behind the pic that earned him his last Oscar nomination, "The Pursuit of Happyness." Returning to the helm is Italian director Gabriele Muccino. Oscar winner Steve Tisch ("Forrest Gump"), Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal are part of the producer lineup again. And, among others, Oscar-winning editor Hughes Winborne ("Crash") is also back. Smith plays an IRS agent "with a fateful secret who embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers," according to Sony. Pic hasn't been screened yet, and its plot is deliberately being kept under wraps (because it could be seen as a bit of a downer). Suffice it to say, though, the story promises those important kudo-baiting hallmarks: life-changing love and, of course, redemption. Smith first stumbled upon Muccino's work when he was in Italy promoting a pic. After their successful collaboration on "Pursuit," the duo didn't find another good fit to reteam until "Seven Pounds." New to the collaboration this time is the cast, including Rosario Dawson, Michael Ealy, Barry Pepper and Woody Harrelson, who play characters along the road of Smith's redemptive journey. If the pic delivers strong performances, nominations for multiple thesps could be forthcoming, including Smith. It could be a steeper climb for Muccino and others behind the camera. "Pursuit" yielded just one nom -- for Smith -- despite strong kudos buzz on the pic. http://www.variety.com/article/VR111799581...=1&nid=2562

Will Smith makes kids pay for own toys Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith have devised a ‘cool’ way to teach their kids the value of money — they ask them to pay for their own. Smith’s kids, Jaden, 10 and Willow, eight, are already following their parents’ footsteps. While Jaden starred with his dad in The Pursuit of Happiness, Willow lends her voice to the new Madagascar sequel. And now, both the I Am Legend star and wife Jada Pinkett are bent on disciplining their kids as far as money is considered. "We make it clear to them, "This is your money and things you want, you'll be paying for". Kids have to be very responsible without you having to do it for them,” The Daily Express quoted Jada as saying. She added, "I'm their bank. They have to come to me and write up a little slip when they want to make a withdrawal." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Enterta...how/3716681.cms

Pictures from the movie here. Now you can save them all! :lolsign: http://www.allmoviephoto.com/photo/2008_Se...unds_photo.html

Jada Pinkett Smith at The International Film Festival Actress Jada Pinkett Smith to present her directorial debut, The Human Contract. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4eBzkKH7r0

Will Smith visiting Greater Cleveland Thursday Megastar Will Smith will be in Valley View Thursday night for a screening of his new drama "Seven Pounds," and to benefit the Cleveland Food bank. A red carpet arrivals event starts at 6 p.m. (with a presentation at 6:45) in front of the Cinemark Valley View 24 theaters at 6001 Canal Rd. Chances are it will be cold, so dress accordingly. NOTE: The outdoor event is free and open to the public. But you will need a pass for admission to the screening at 7. People bringing non-perishable food items for the Cleveland Food Bank, starting at 4 p.m., will be eligible to receive a pass to the screening. Smith is donating 200 turkeys to the food bank. "Seven Pounds" opens nationwide Dec. 19th. http://www.cleveland.com/moviebuff/index.s...greater_cl.html

The movie has been rated PG-13 for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality.

Will Smith to Screen "Seven Pounds" in Dallas Fresh Prince to screen his latest film in Dallas on Nov. 18th That's right Agent J fans, the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith will be in Dallas next week to screen his latest film, "Seven Pounds." On Tuesday the 18th, Smith will be hitting the red carpet Big Willy Style at the Cinemark 17 in Dallas. Want to get in? Bring a non-perishable good from the list below starting at 2 pm: - Canned Ham - Canned Vegetables - Canned Fruit - Stuffing Mix - Cornbread Mix - Puddings - Pumpkin Pie Filling All the food will benefit the North Texas Food Bank. More info here: http://www.nbcdfw.com/around_town/the_scen...-in-Dallas.html

A bit bigger: